Narsingdi Correspondent: The BNP has complained that the police have taken away their banners after obstructing the march program in Palash upazila of Narsingdi.
The incident took place at Charnagardi village in the Jinardi union of the upazila at around 11 o’clock on Saturday (February 11). Abdul Moin Khan, a member of the BNP Standing Committee and a former Member of Parliament from this constituency, was present at the program.
Local BNP leaders complained that Abdul Moin Khan had instructed the activists to march peacefully without raising any slogans.At around 11 a.m., the march program started from Charnagardi junction on the Charnagardi-Parulia road, heading towards Parulia junction. Immediately after the start, a group of police led by Sub-Inspector Shamsul Haque of Palash Police Station stopped them and said that they could not go ahead.
At that time, the leaders and activists requested them and said that since national leaders like Moin Khan were here, they would go at least a little. Later, when the BNP leaders and activists started to move forward, the police stopped them three times in a row. Within a few moments, Palash Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Ilyas came to the spot, snatched the banner of the program, and lathi-charged some of the participants. After that, the March program started.
Abdul Moin Khan went to his home in Charnagaradi village with hundreds of leaders and activists after the march program was stopped due to police obstruction. He told the journalists present there, “Today our peaceful program has also been blocked by the police.” Because we do not believe in violent politics, we did not engage in any conflict, even in the face of incitement and obstruction by the police. We will bring democracy back to the country, free Khaleda Zia, and re-establish people’s rights only through a peaceful democratic movement.
Palash Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Ilyach said, “We have told them there is no objection to marching; show the permission of the Deputy Commissioner.” They could not show us any permits. So they have been banned as per the rules.
